HEAR IT

10,000 Maniacs will play Saturday at 9:30 p.m. at Night Lights at the Heron, 2361 Wait Corners Road, near Sherman, N.Y. Gates open at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10. Coolers, lawn chairs permitted. Primitive camping costs $10. For more information, see www.heronnightlights.com.

Running into a maniac in the woods at night is no fun. 10,000 Maniacs?

Perfect!

Fans of the long-running folk-rock group get a rare treat Saturday -- an intimate gig at a unique outdoor venue in a rural, heavily wooded area near Sherman, N.Y.

10,000 Maniacs will perform at Night Lights at the Heron, which features a one-mile, illuminated trail that ends at the Cafe in the Woods and its small outdoor stage on the site of the annual Great Blue Heron Music Festival.

"It's a really cool spot," said 10,000 Maniacs bassist Steve Gustafson. "I played at the first Blue Heron. In fact, I was one of the guys who built that stage. I've known (Heron co-founder) Dave Tidquist since before Still Life, our first band, that turned into 10,000 Maniacs. He booked us forever, and we're great friends. I love it out there."

The band will film Saturday's show for assorted projects revolving around its first CD in 13 years, due in January. The group is using pledgemusic.com to help finance its new ventures.

"It's a new model between the artist, the listener and the buyers. It takes out the middle man," Gustafson said.

"You're making a project for people to consume, and you're offering extras and specials for those who want to consume more. Then everyone's involved in the process. Ben Folds just did this, and it was wildly successful."

Maniacs were wildly successful in the early '90s when Natalie Merchant sang lead vocals on such CDs as "In My Tribe" and "Our Time in Eden." With beguiling, folk-flavored hits ("These Are Days," "Like the Weather," "Hey, Jack Kerouac"), the band played on "The Tonight Show," "Late Night with David Letterman" and twice on "Saturday Night Live."

The Maniacs soldiered on after Merchant left in '92; lead singer Mary Ramsey joined in '94. Its pop-limelight days are gone, but the band succeeds on its own terms. It's still writing, recording, and touring, including a 30th anniversary outing in 2011. The band will play songs from throughout its career on Saturday, including several debuts.

"We don't leave anything out," Gustafson said. "This summer, we're focusing more on 'In My Tribe' because (of) its 25th anniversary. So, we've been playing more of those songs, like 'Painted Desert,' which was written by our drummer Jerome (Augustyniak)."

The lineup also includes original member Dennis Drew (keys) and Jeff Erickson, who replaced founding guitarist Robert Buck in 2003, three years after Buck died. When the band returned, plenty of fans awaited. Die-hards are called "the Stalkers."

"They are the über-Maniac fans. They band together and come to our houses and tie us up and buy us drinks after the show and give us gifts. It's just horrifying," Gustafson said, with a laugh. "They'll be up there (Saturday) for this. They know it's special."

HEAR IT

10,000 Maniacs will play Saturday at 9:30 p.m. at Night Lights at the Heron, 2361 Wait Corners Road, near Sherman, N.Y. Gates open at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10. Coolers, lawn chairs permitted. Primitive camping costs $10. For more information, see www.heronnightlights.com.